Johor has just dissolved its state assembly today. By law, the state election must be held within the next two months.
DAP Youth has previously called on Anwar Ibrahim to dissolve Parliament and hold a General Election, especially if Barisan Nasional continues to go solo in Johor. With BN contesting independently in Johor, where Unity Government components such as PH and BN will effectively be in open competition, it will look very odd and unbecoming if the components of the unity goverments are at odds in the state level while remaining in alliance at the federal level.
Zahid Hamidi, the Umno chief, has also just announced earlier today, that the general election is just around the corner. Zahid like made the announcement because he has been informed that Anwar is thinking of dissolving the parliament at any moment.
Beyond Johor, PH and BN are also in a state of political tension in Negeri Sembilan. The state is currently governed by a lame duck PH administration led by Aminuddin Harun, that is just waiting for the right time to collapse. With Johor now dissolved, there is growing expectation that Negeri Sembilan should follow suit very soon, and I expect Negeri Sembilan to announce the dissolution of its state assembly as early as tomorrow.
Malacca is also approaching its electoral deadline before February 2027. Given that Johor and Negeri Sembilan are likely heading into elections within the next two months, there is no reason why Malacca should not follow suit. Holding its election separately after its southern neighbors could be seen as unnecessarily odd, exasperating and expensive.
If the southern states proceed with elections, there is also the possibility that Perlis in the north—currently governed by a state administration whose mandate is also politically contested—may dissolve its assembly and join the fray.
Should four or more Peninsular states go into election mode simultaneously, Sarawak may also be drawn into the broader national political rhythm. While Sarawak’s mandate only expires by April next year, GPS is in a very strong today. Considering that, although Sarawak has a reputation of following his its own beat when it comes to holding election, this time, there is a chance that it might choose to synchronize its election timing with the Peninsular.
From a fiscal perspective, concurrent elections across multiple states could also be justified as more cost-efficient, reducing the burden of repeated electoral cycles.
If five or more states enter election mode, it becomes increasingly difficult for Anwar Ibrahim to resist mounting pressure to dissolve Parliament and call for a general election. This is especially so given that his government is already under sustained political pressure and continues to face questions over the strength of its mandate to rule.
Moreover, with economic uncertainty expected in the second half of the year—particularly if global tensions escalate—there is an argument that holding elections earlier, rather than during a period of economic stress, may be politically and economically strategic. A stronger mandate is also what Anwar's goverment needs as a precondition to manage the potential economic crises more effectively.
Considering all these developments, I foresee that more state assemblies will be dissolved in the coming days following the long weekend.
If more state assemblies are dissolved, then I also foresee GE16 to be be held in the next 60 days, likely By August.
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